Chapter 37
Arin of the girl group Sweety, who was once called a rising rookie and received all the public's attention.
However, she was designated as the ringleader of a bullying incident and had to retire disgracefully from the entertainment industry, becoming the nation's most disliked figure.
That name, which had been erased from public interest for a while. It started to become a topic again as the older sister of Kang A-jin, one of the main players of National Idol.
Of course, the reaction was not good.
Since a team bullying incident is an indelible fatal stain for an idol, almost like a crime. Arin's disliked image still remained even as time passed.
The public's gaze was cold, and the attacks towards the already retired Arin began again.
Of course, the attacks did not end with just Arin.
Due to this incident, the attacks of the National Idol anti-fandom, which had been unilaterally focused on the Chinese trainees, began to head towards Kang A-jin.
- Kang A-jin, I didn't see her that way... Her older sister is Arin? Hmm, somehow that's a bit unsettling...
- Honestly, her older sister committed such a wrong, does it make sense for the younger sister to be active so confidently?
└ Right, if I were a victim who suffered from Arin, I'd probably remember the past every time I saw Kang A-jin's face.
- Kang A-jin coming out to the audition is too shameless from the start. Her sister harmed so many people... how can she think of becoming an idol? Isn't she completely lacking a conscience?
The public opinion of criticism ignited in an instant.
As if someone was manipulating it, as soon as the article about the siblings Kang A-jin and Kang Arin went up.
It seemed as if all the criticism directed at the Chinese trainees was focused entirely on Kang A-jin.
- No, what is going on?
└ I went to check because they said the house over there was on fire... but our house is on fire?
- No matter how I think about it, this firepower is too strange, isn't it? Did they hire paid commenters for this?
Thus, in an instant, Kang A-jin became a traitor, and when Kang A-jin's fans couldn't properly respond and were just taking a beating from the sudden situation.
An unexpected reinforcement appeared.
- Sweety fans support Arin and A-jin.
- Please don't speak carelessly without knowing the facts properly. Arin is not the bullying perpetrator.
- It's been ages since the bullying incident was revealed to be false, but you're still cursing Arin and her younger sister now? Aren't you the ones lacking a conscience?
- There is a post that refutes point by point the targeted post that fabricated Arin as the bullying perpetrator, so please read it at least once,
Their identity was a small number of fans who were still doing fan club activities for Sweety.
Of course, their firepower was insignificant. However.
- Right, I liked Sweety back then too. The bullying incident was really out of nowhere.
- They couldn't even properly explain it and it was just buried because of the Olympics. I remembered it after a long time and looked it up again, and everything I knew was fabricated.
- The member who was designated as the victim of bullying at the time was Yerin. Yerin personally said she wasn't bullied.
└ What, is that real? Then why didn't everyone know?
└ That's because after the incident was all over, no one was interested anymore...
The truths that were only revealed after the incident was completely over.
However, the truth, having drifted away from public interest, was only known by a small number of fans.
The hidden story of that incident that uninterested people would have gone their whole lives not knowing. Those facts were gradually becoming known to the public.
Of course, despite that, the hostile public opinion towards Arin was still greater.
Once a perception is embedded in the public's mind, it does not change easily.
However, a video that brought a major change to the public's perception, which had slowly begun to crack, was released not long after.
***
"Hello, this is Recent News Interview. Today, we'll be meeting with former members of the girl group Sweety. Arin and Yerin. Nice to meet you."
"Yes, nice to meet you. I'm Kang Arin."
"Hello. I'm Kim Yerin."
Three men and women were sitting facing each other in a small cafe, conducting an interview.
"Um, it might be rude to say this upon first meeting, but it's quite amazing to see the two of you sitting together."
At the host's words, Arin and Yerin looked at each other and smiled bitterly.
"That's why we came out here."
"Oh, I only knew that the two of you were on bad terms. Was I mistaken?"
"Yes, I wanted to clear it up. And I thought this might be the last chance."
"The last chance?"
"Because until now, no matter how much we said it wasn't true, there was no place that would listen."
"I see... Then the truth of the incident? Well, it's hard to call it the truth. I'd like to hear from Yerin first. Many people know Yerin as the victim of the bullying incident."
At the host's words, Yerin answered carefully.
"To speak directly, there was no bullying within the group. I can say that for certain."
"Ah... Then are all the facts we know wrong?"
"There are parts that are right and parts that are not. We're human too, so of course there were times when we hurt each other's feelings. There were things I did wrong and things the older members did wrong to me. But Arin unnie led the bullying? That's a story that really couldn't happen. Because she was the one I relied on more than anyone. And the person who believed in me until the end was unnie."
As Yerin spoke, she gradually showed tears.
"So... I only always feel sorry to Arin unnie... Sob..."
The host brought tissues to the tearful Yerin and carefully asked Arin another question.
"Is it difficult to tell us exactly what the problem was?"
"I can't tell you everything exactly as it is, but we had internal conflicts due to contract issues with the company. But as reported in the media, things like bullying existing or the members splitting up are completely untrue."
"Listening to the story, Arin, you were just an innocent victim. Weren't you unfairly treated?"
At the host's words, Arin thought for a moment and answered.
"At first, it was so unfair. No one believed my words. Even the company and the fans. After suffering and feeling so unfair like that, I think I eventually let it all go. It was more comforting to think that neither the popularity nor the fans' love were mine from the beginning."
"But, you have a different reason for coming to our interview today."
"Yes, I'm fine no matter what people say now. But I saw people carelessly talking about my younger sister. I was scared seeing my sister suffer because of lacking me, but I gathered my courage and came out to this seat."
"Your sister is currently participating in the audition, right. Do you have anything you want to say to her as a final word?"
Arin looked straight at the camera for the first time since the interview and spoke.
"A-jin is a stronger person than her older sister. I believe she will overcome it well."
***
The 3rd round of the competition began.
Waiting behind the stage, I saw a much larger stage than the 1st and 2nd rounds, along with what looked like a thousand fans.
"Is anyone nervous?"
To my question, the other team members all shook their heads.
"Can you all eat them alive?"
"Of course."
"I'm itching to go out there."
At some point, the team atmosphere had become this combative.
Whether it was because of the song, or because of that one person standing over there with her eyes closed.
I approached Kang A-jin, who was standing alone.
"A-jin."
"Yes."
Kang A-jin's hair, which had been blonde, had now changed to a light gray close to white.
"Are you confident?"
"Confident?"
"Yeah, are you confident you can do better than me?"
I playfully said to Kang A-jin.
Actually, giving the center position to Kang A-jin was a more dangerous thing for her than for me.
If she took the center but ruined the stage or didn't perform properly, Kang A-jin's position, which was already dangerous due to the controversy, would be even more ruined.
Nevertheless, I readily handed over the center position to Kang A-jin.
I had no other thoughts.
Because in that moment, I wanted to believe in Kang A-jin.
"Confident..."
At that moment.
Waaaaaaaah-
Along with the cheers, the previous team's stage ended.
And.
"Please go up!"
With the writer's shout, we finished preparing to go on stage.
"Hyung, you should be a bit more nervous than you are now."
"What?"
While my ears were ringing from the cheers, Kang A-jin came next to me and said.
"I think I'll win this time."
I walked along following Kang A-jin going up onto the stage and thought.
A-jin, you're not a wolf, but you seem to have become something of a husky...
'Still, you have a long way to go.'
- You go on stage together with Kang A-jin.
- Trait 'Mind-to-Mind' is activated.
***
On the dark stage.
Six trainees stood with their backs turned.
Thump thump thump thump-
The drum sound like a heartbeat grew louder and filled the silent stage.
And.
Flash-
The blue lighting illuminated the stage.
And the screen behind the stage flickered, completing a single text.
-RUN RUN RUN RUN
As Kang A-jin turned around, the music began with the sound of electronic notes.
-MORE MORE MORE MORE
The moment all six trainees faced the front.
Flash-
Colorful lasers burst out like a flash in an instant, dazzling the audience's eyes.
-RUN RUN RUN RUN
The electronic notes repeated once more. While that intense sound overwhelmed the audience.
The group dance of the six trainees began.
-MORE MORE MORE MORE
Waaaaaaaah-
Only then did the cheers of the crowd be heard.
At the movements shown by the six trainees wearing black uniforms with silver accents that sparkled in the light.
The movements of the trainees dancing between the dark lighting and laser lights sparkled and flashed by like a frozen single frame.
-do or die step back if you're not confident Uh
I want it more than before Uh
Sunwoo Rin's thick and low voice, murmuring like a rap, was doubled with a mechanical sound and echoed intensely.
-Got me feeling so right
Got me feeling so high
Past Kang A-jin's part with a voice whispering like a spell.
-I can't stop like this!
"Waaaaah!"
At Woo Jung-woo's high notes that burst out without warning, the audience let out cheers of astonishment.
When the speakers were about to burst from the insanely rising beat.
Tuk-
Along with the beat that stopped in an instant.
Kang A-jin sang again as if mumbling.
-I'm a soldier
This is danger
And.
When Kang A-jin smiled broadly and stared at the camera.
Intense music flowed out of the speakers again as if they would burst.
Flash-
-I'm a soldier
This is danger
The electronic sound that seemed to mesmerize people's minds kept repeating.
While the audience was watching the stage in a daze. The bridge section arrived.
-I swear to the sky
Before this painful breath stops
Sunwoo Rin and Kang A-jin stood facing each other, looking at one another.
-I will find you
The moment the two glared at each other.
Ahhhhhhhh-
Woo Jung-woo's high note rang out as if it would burst the concert hall.
And at that moment.
Whoosh-
Fireworks burst out from the front of the stage.
With Sunwoo Rin throwing off his jacket as a signal, the six trainees began their final group dance.
-RUN RUN RUN RUN
-MORE MORE MORE MORE
The trainees dancing dazzlingly in front of the flames.
And.
Sunwoo Rin, who was dancing in the center of the stage.
Grabbed the sleeveless t-shirt he was wearing with both hands.
Kyaaaaaaaah!
And tore it off without hesitation.